Many car enthusiasts like to hide themselves and the interior of their car from prying eyes. Someone installs special nets that are attached inside the cabin, while others prefer the good old tinting. However, in addition to the desire to "hide" from prying eyes, some drivers find in tinting an opportunity to make their car more attractive in appearance. And we have to admit that by pasting the car windows with a dark film, the driver really gets a good result in the form of a beautiful car. In this article, we would like to tell you how to tint a car yourself, since recently this service has become not as cheap as we would like.

Is it possible to qualitatively tint the car yourself?

When it comes to doing something with your car on your own, in other words, in a garage, the question always arises about the quality of the work performed. And it's good that the drivers are worried about the final result, because any modernization of the car, including tinted glass, affects the safety of the car. By choosing the wrong tint or sticking it on, you can significantly reduce the light transmittance, as a result of which it will be quite dangerous to drive a car at night.

However, answering the question whether it is possible to tint the car yourself with high quality, we answer with full confidence that it is possible. The tinting process itself is not so complicated as it might seem to a common man in the street at first glance. The main rule in the process of toning a car, as in any other business, is accuracy, attentiveness and straight arms. If you are toning your car for the first time, we advise you to find someone to help you.

In order to get a good result, you need to prepare the entire tool in advance, choose the right film, and have a little patience. Only in this case, you can hope for a successful toning, and you will learn all the other nuances and how to tint the car yourself by reading our informational article.

The subtleties of the selection of toning materials

Any car modernization begins with the selection of the necessary materials and tools. In our case, we need to choose the right tint, so that in the future we do not have problems with its gluing and operation. Today's automotive market offers consumers a large selection of different tint films, so every car enthusiast can choose something for himself.

First of all, you need to decide on the color of the toning. The most popular color today is classic black tint. This is due to the fact that it is a fairly versatile and practical color that suits any color of the car, and also protects best from the sun's rays. However, in addition to black, you can find various shades of blue, red, yellow, green, and various other colors. This item is a matter of taste for each person.

The second point that motorists most often rely on when choosing a car film is light transmission. Here, again, everything depends on the driver's preferences, but we still advise you to adhere to the established GOST, which applies to the front and windshields. As for the rear windows, in this case, the light transmission does not matter.

In fact, there are many more points from which you can change your choice in favor of one or another film. There are seven types of tint film only, so this is a topic for a separate article. And we are moving on to quickly answer the question of how to tint the car ourselves.

DIY glass tinting

Before starting work, you need to prepare a tool that we need for tinting glass. An approximate set of tools should combine the following items:

• Rubber spatula - choose as soft as possible. It is generally not recommended to purchase plastic spatulas, since they can only scratch the tint
• Stationery knife and spare blades
• Glass and mirror cleaner, heated water, microfiber towel (or any other cloth that does not leave lint on the surface)
• Spray
• Building or household hair dryer - in principle, all the work can be done without it, but if in the end we want to get a good result, then it will be very useful.

Now it is very important to prepare the glasses themselves, on which our new tinting will be glued. It is quite logical that in order for the tinting to lie flat and without bubbles, we need to get a perfectly clean surface. To do this, you need to wash the glass from all adhering particles, and then wipe it with a glass cleaner. In general, experts also recommend removing the glass, so it will be easier to glue, but in our case, we will tint the car as it is.

How to tint a car yourself

The usual car tinting starts with the side windows, as they are more or less straight and are somewhat easier to glue. This is especially recommended if you are applying tinting for the first time. For gluing, remove all rubber seals from the glass and raise the window up to the end. Then try on and cut the film with a clerical knife.

Having cut out the workpiece, the film must be applied to the window with a protective layer outward, after sprinkling it with soapy water on the surface. Using a rubber spatula, flatten the film and cut off the excess to the shape of the glass, leaving a 5-7 mm allowance. Now the modernized workpiece can be removed and the wetted glass surface can be wiped with a dry cloth.

Now, having enlisted the support of an assistant, you can proceed to the very gluing of tinting - the film is glued inside the car, that is, in the cabin. The inside of the glass must also be sprayed with soapy water, while the entire surface must be damp. However, you cannot overdo it either, otherwise the smudges will ruin everything. Then take the workpiece in your hands and begin to remove the protective layer, while your assistant sprinkles the adhesive part with the solution.

The film is then applied to the glass surface and spread with a microfiber cloth. This must be done very carefully, since at this stage it is quite easy to spoil the film. Having positioned the tint layer as expected, you can start removing bubbles. To do this, use a rubber trowel, directing water and air bubbles from the center of the tinting to the edges.

How to tint the rear window

The process of tinting the rear window is somewhat more complicated. In this case, the whole difficulty lies in the fact that the rear window has a large area, which means that the work will be more difficult. If you are wondering how to tint the rear window, then you definitely cannot do it without an assistant. For high-quality tinting on the back, it is better to use a household hairdryer, which will greatly facilitate the front of the work. Otherwise, the tinting procedure is no different from the side windows tinting.

As you can see, tinting car windows with your own hands is not such a difficult task if you know what to do. And after reading our article, you can safely say that you know how to tint a car yourself.

Many car owners resort to window tinting more for the status and solid appearance, comfort and coziness of the car. Nevertheless, high-quality and correct toning is not always found. To shade the windows of your car in accordance with all the rules and requirements, we will consider this issue in detail.

Changing the appearance of the car, in general, it is worth noting the additional advantages of high-quality glass tinting:

• Safety in the event of an accident. Broken glass will settle on the film and will not fly in all directions, causing additional injury.
• Thermal insulation. In summer, during hot months, the interior warms up less, and in winter it retains heat better.
• Protects the driver's eyes and reduces fatigue. Especially important at night driving from the glare of the headlights of the oncoming traffic.
• Protection against burnout of the interior, thereby retaining its original appearance and increasing the service life.
• Poor visibility of the cabin for strangers, which significantly increases the protection of personal property.

Front glass tinting according to GOST

Following the prescribed regulations in order to avoid a fine, additional tinting of the front windows is at least 70% of the throughput, taking into account the factory and is considered the norm. Mirror film is prohibited by law in accordance with clause 4.5. in the application of dimming car windows. Thus, the side windows are allowed to be tinted by 30% with the initial result of completely transparent glass of a new car, not tinted by the manufacturer.

Windshield tinting according to GOST

If we consider that the new glass has no more than 80 - 95% throughput, and it is allowed to darken according to the regulations by no more than 70%, then in practice the tinting of the windshield with the lightest film will eventually become no more than 66.5% in accordance with the formula calculus 0.95 * 0.7. The windshield of second-hand cars, due to their rubbed surface with brushes and taking into account dust, can reach up to 30% light absorption, while this indicator increases over time during operation. It turns out that the permitted tinted windshield would be a violation of the rules.

According to clause 4.3 of the technical regulation, the light transmission of windshields and through those where front visibility for the driver is provided is allowed to be at least 70%.

It is allowed to dim the rear windows at the request of the car owner up to 100% in the presence of rear-view mirrors.

Rules for measuring toning

Tinting not according to GOST is one of the most common penalties. According to statistics, measures were taken to tighten the control of violators. Last year, only employees of technical supervision had the right to measure the throughput at the post, in 2016 any of the traffic police officers, including the rank and file, can check the glass darkening.

According to Part 1 of Art. 28.3, art. 26.8 and clause 6 of part 2 of article 23.3 of the Administrative Code of the Russian Federation to initiate a case, use means for measuring and make a decision on this set of offenses, all traffic police officers with a special title have the right.

Thus, the traffic police officers are allowed to measure the degree of light transmission, but only at the checkpoint.

The conditions for measuring the throughput of glasses must be strictly observed following the order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs No. 1240.

• It is at the traffic police post that control of car windows is allowed.
• Control by technical supervision or traffic police is carried out and a special mark in the service certificate should indicate this.
• Measuring devices must be registered in the state register and have a certificate with a note of the last verification of the device, as well as with the required frequency of verification.

Diagnostics is carried out on a dry, clean surface in 3 places of one glass and the average reading of the device will be the final.
Temperature prerequisite for outdoor measurements according to GOST 27902 - 88

• at air temperature +15 to + -25
• provided that the air humidity is 40% to 80%
• pressure 86 to 106 kPa.

Without measuring weather indicators, the check is considered illegal and a violation, it is allowed to challenge it within ten days from the decision of the violation. The readings of the device used in the winter are considered illegal. Errors and individual characteristics of instruments for measuring car glass differ from each other, but cannot exceed 2%, if more is allowed, it is allowed to require compliance with GOST 27902 - 88.

Measure the toning at a temperature from +15 to +25, taking in advance the measurement of pressure, air humidity and voltage at the battery terminals. That is, you need to measure correctly with 5 devices, with certificates and instrument checks, if at least one requirement is not met, feel free to go to court to appeal the fine.

Important features

Be sure to ask for a certificate and a technical passport of the device used for measuring and its latest verification, check whether everything declared corresponds to the device. So, for example, the most common "Blik" meter, the technical parameters of which make it possible to measure at a temperature not lower than -10 degrees, gave distorted readings, in fact, normal readings of -5 degrees are obtained. The newly introduced device "Light", as it turned out, in fact, the old one was entered in the register back in 2008, now it is allowed to be used all year round, but still only on a dry and clean surface.

Before tinting a car, independently or by a master, you must first measure it and only then calculate the permissible rate to apply tinted according to the rules of GOST, not forgetting to use the calculation formula (glass% * film with a selected%) and adding 2% device error to the result obtained.
It is not necessary to go to the post to measure the percentage of toning, because, on a legal basis, the employee is first obliged to carry out an administrative detention, but having considered Part 1 of Art. 27.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses, it can be understood that detention cannot be used to identify violations. Therefore, the detention procedure provided for by the administrative regulations, then it can be carried out after the identification of violations, and not before that.
Pay attention to the color of the film, which is not allowed to distort yellow and red, green and white, this is considered a violation of the law, only an expensive high quality film from a reliable manufacturer will give a guarantee and a positive effect.

Important: only a court can make a decision on punishment in the form of a second fine or arrest. Moreover, according to the bill for January 2016, the amount will be doubled or tripled. If the situation is repeated within 12 months, according to the approved 32 part 12.5 of the Administrative Code of the Russian Federation, the fine will be 5,000 thousand rubles. or deprivation of driver's rights up to 3 months.

Outcome

Without these preliminary steps, vehicle inspection is very difficult to pass.
At the tinting point, the masters themselves measure the glass and, knowing the percentage of light penetration, tint the car without breaking the law.
When applying the film, it is important to know that during the operation of the car from year to year, the coverage percentage will begin to increase slightly, and this applies primarily to the cheapest samples.

Many car owners, despite the prohibitions of employees of the state traffic inspectorate, still prefer that some part of the windows in their car be covered with a special film, which gives the effect of protection from sunlight. This can be done at car service points, but it's no secret that do-it-yourself car tinting is a fairly simple procedure. Let's take a closer look at it.

What tools are required

To do this, you need:

1. Purchase tinting film from a spare parts store. It is better to take a film made in America or in England, there is strict control over the quality of such goods. Recommended brands: Jonson, Llumar, Global, SunControl.
2. You will need special plastic scrapers to smooth the material. They are not included in the bundle of expensive films, but are mainly attached to very low quality Chinese or Korean films. If there are no scrapers on sale, you can also make them yourself. You should take elastic plastic and cut out a plate from it, the dimensions of which should be 10x12 centimeters. One edge of the scraper should be very flat and smooth so that there are no burrs or irregularities on it, because it is destined to be the working edge of your tool. This is a necessary condition, since the tint film is very easy to tear or scratch, so it would still be better to purchase a factory scraper, and not save on such trifles, on which the quality of work depends.
3. You will also need a small amount of transparent shampoo, you can take a regular one for washing your hair, but only transparent so that it cannot give a shade to the glass when it is applied, shampoo-cream or gel are not suitable for these purposes. If there is no clear shampoo at home, you can use clear liquid soap or dishwashing detergent.
4. Prepare a spray bottle, preferably with an air pump function. You can, of course, take a container from a glass cleaner, but it will be more convenient for you to work with the type of sprayer that first pumps air, and then it will spray from a simple push of a button or lever. These spray guns are used in the garden to spray seedlings.
5. Buy one of these retractable stationery knives in advance. You can use a razor blade, but take a new one, not a used one. You only need to secure one edge of the blade to the wine bottle stopper, this will protect your hands from possible cuts and it will be much more convenient for you to work. The offered special tint knives, as a rule, are made in Japan; at their high price, they are several times sharper than ordinary knives.
6. A detergent for washing car windows should be in every car. You just have to thoroughly rinse the glass to be tinted.
7. For all stages of work, it will be good to have a supply of new napkins, but not from fabric, but from non-woven material.
8. Adequate amount of clean water in a clean container.

The list may seem long, but these are the ingredients for all stages of the work and therefore they should be prepared in advance, in sufficient quantities and placed within such a distance so that they are at your fingertips, and you would not have to interrupt work in order to take the right thing. With its seeming simplicity, the work on tinted glass of a car requires special care and concentration. It should be carried out in a clean box where dust does not fly. If you plan to do it outside, then it is better to choose a gloomy day so that the sun and insects cannot interfere with you.

After all the preparatory work done, feel free to start covering the glass with a tint film.

DIY car tinting video

Getting started

Before you start tinting the car with your own hands, you have to cut the film, taking the dimensions of the glass as a basis. You need to do the following: we spray the entire glass surface with clean water and apply a film to the wet glass so that it fits snugly to the surface. Water droplets hold the material, but make it possible to move it around the perimeter of the glass. You should arrange the film so that the waste is the smallest part of it. A margin of up to one millimeter should be left along the edge, and at the bottom, if the glasses go down, even more, then cut off the material along the stock line. But this must be done carefully, since it is very thin and can easily break.

If you are afraid to make the wrong cuts, then you can initially make a "pattern" from plastic wrap or tracing paper. These materials are also well fixed on a wet surface, and only then, according to the existing template, it will be possible to cut off the amount of tinting film you need on a flat surface. After that, we remove the workpiece from the glass and in the most careful way wash the plane of the glass on which we plan to glue the film. While the glass is completely dry, you can dilute the shampoo or detergent in water in a ratio of 1:10 and pour the composition into the spray bottle. It is in this composition that the most important secret lies, which the car service workers who are engaged in tinting will never reveal to you. And at the same time it is precisely the shampoo diluted with water that the glue on the film is “neutralized” for a short time. Now that you know the main secret, you can continue to work.

The made composition is sparingly sprayed onto the glass from a spray bottle, then we take the film by the upper edge and in one of the corners we peel the film directly from the adhesive base. A small amount of the solution should be injected into the area where you just peeled the film. Having fixed it in the place intended for it, with smooth movements we begin to release the tint film from the protective one, at the same time pressing it against the glass. You should not rush to carry out such actions, because the shampoo neutralized the glue for a period of up to five to seven minutes, and if you spray the place where the film is glued from time to time, then you will have even more time.

After you removed the entire protective layer, the tint film remained attached to the glass surface. It is currently precisely fixed, but has not yet been finally fixed. You have time left to position the film while it can still slide over the applied solution.

Final fixing of the film on the glass

When you are sure that it has taken the place due to it, then you can begin the process of its final gluing. For this step, you will need a scraper and wipes. With a scraper, you begin carefully, without applying significant physical effort, to smooth the film, this is necessary to remove soap solution and air bubbles from under it. As a rule, these actions are performed starting from the center of the surface. Ultimately, if the material is properly glued, then even a small air reservoir should not remain under it, since these bubbles from the outside look like whitish spots and are clearly visible.

Your task is to drive them to the outer edge of the glass, where they should be removed with a clean cloth. The film that you left in reserve at the edges should be cut off at the level of 1-2 millimeters to the level of the outer edge of the glass. If you do not, then over time it will start to graze over the edges and bully. But the level of the lower edge should be brought under the sealing tape at a distance of about 0.5 centimeters, this will save it from possible bulging during daily use of the windows.

After carrying out all these operations, the work on fixing the tint film on the car windows can be considered complete. It will finally dry out in 24 hours, this period will be required for the glue to completely solidify and fix the material on the glass. During this time, it is not recommended to use pasted glass and turn on their heating.

Before you do - practice!

As in any business, the success of the ideal tinting is influenced not only by the quality of the film you purchased, but also by the skill of the person who glues this material. Therefore, it will be better if you, before you tint the glass of a car for the first time, practice gluing the scraps on ordinary glass. You need to master the skill of neutralizing the adhesive layer and smoothing. The high-quality performance of these works is the success of window tinting.

According to the same principle and in exactly the same sequence, the windows are pasted over with a booking film. Its structure is stiffer and thicker, but this only makes it easier to work with it.

Films of different types are allowed to be glued one on top of the other, that is, when the glass, pasted over with tinting, finally dries out, you can stick an armored film on top of it or in reverse order.

When armoring or tinting glass in a car with your own hands, it is worth remembering the fact that some types of glass have a concave or curved structure. This primarily applies to the rear half of the body and the windshield. And the shape of the film in the expanded form remains flat. This circumstance presents some difficulties in carrying out such operations. The film itself can stretch, but not significantly, although this is usually enough.

However, it happens that the glass of the machine has a strongly concave shape and here you will not be able to perform work with a single, solid canvas. You can get out of the situation in a simple way: divide the plane of the glass into several parts and carry out the previously described algorithm using several specially cut parts.

Pasting blown glass

In addition to windows with a flat surface familiar to us, there are also blown glass, and you can also paste over them with tint with your own hands. If you are very lucky, then you will be able to remove the glass from your "nest". But in principle, you can try to paste over it at the place of attachment.

DIY car window tinting video

First, you should thoroughly clean the surface of dust from the side that will be most convenient for pasting. You will need a certain amount of film, but it should be borne in mind that it should be enough for all glass in a single sheet. And get ready for the fact that the first time you may fail and you will have to make a second attempt, and sometimes a third. You need to prepare a scraper, although often it is attached as a bonus to the material itself. For such work, a hairdryer is needed for industrial use, a home appliance is not suitable here, it has a low level of temperature set with a strong air flow. You will also need a sharp clerical knife and scissors, as well as a glass cleaner and a spray bottle for water. After all the necessary materials and tools have been purchased and prepared, you can start tinting the car windows with your own hands.

The order of work is as follows:

In conclusion, I would like to say the following. Do-it-yourself car window tinting is simple on flat surfaces, but working with a curved surface can get you a lot of trouble. Before you achieve the effect you want, you can spoil many rolls of tint film and have time to fray your nerves, so it will be better if you entrust this work to professionals from the service center. You will pay them a certain amount of money, but after a certain time, as a rule, no more than a day, you can already pick up your car from the workshop with high-quality work.

Every car owner wants his car to look solid and be as comfortable as possible. One of the types of tuning that is resorted to in this case is glass tinting. In this article, we will learn about the main aspects of such an upgrade.

Pros and cons of window tinting

Consider the main advantages of tuning:

• in the heat, the interior is less susceptible to heating;
• the upholstery material does not fade;
• plastic interior products do not overheat and do not lose their appearance;
• presentability of the car externally;
• both passengers and things left in a closed car are hidden from prying eyes;
• the driver's eyes suffer less from the blinding rays of the sun or oncoming headlights, the light of the car coming from behind;
• in the event of a collision, the glass will not crumble, but will remain tinted.

Disadvantages:

• reduced visibility, especially at night, which makes parking difficult and can create an emergency;
• in the flow of a large number of vehicles, the mirror ability of the film will blind other drivers;
• too high density of tinting layers can cause damage to the windows;
• non-compliance with state standards is the reason for fines.

Did you know? In China, a tint film depicting a famous character (singer, actor) is popular.

Choosing a film for toning

There is a large selection on the market today. To figure out which film to give preference to, let's consider it according to several criteria.

Cost and quality:

1. The leaders in the production of this material are the American companies LLumar, 3M, SunTek, SolarGard. The quality is undeniable, which affects the price.
2. The 3M company (USA) offers a budget version of the product; the line includes such films as Black Shade, Metallic Shade. The quality is not inferior, but the price is several times lower.
3. The Chinese manufacturer offers the cheapest products, but they quickly fade and lose their external gloss.

By destination:

1. Sunscreen(ultraviolet and infrared radiation).
2. Shockproof(consists of more layers).
3. Decorative(emphasizes the individuality of the car owner).

Manufacturing method:

1. Unmetallized - polymer, acrylic and painted layer. Affordable, does not create problems in the operation of mobile and navigation systems, there is no mirror effect. Does not last long.
2. Metallized - in addition to the main layers, it contains metallized. Has a mirroring effect, lasts longer and protects against ultraviolet radiation more effectively. May interfere with mobile communications and navigation systems.

In addition to the above criteria, it is important to consider the ability of the film to transmit light.

Light transmission options:

• 5 % - the interior is not visible from the outside;
• 10 % - the outlines of people in the cabin are noticeable;
• 15 % - silhouettes are clearly visible;
• 20 % - you can see faces outside;
• 35 % - looking closely, you can see the entire interior;
• 50 % - even small details inside the car are visible.

After considering all the criteria and determining the function of tinting, it will not be difficult to make the final choice.

Did you know? According to the world statistics of the study of road accidents, tinted cars are less likely to be their participants. This is explained by the fact that drivers are not distracted by studying those sitting in neighboring or oncoming vehicles, but are entirely focused on the road.

Do-it-yourself car window tinting

Car tinting at home is not difficult. In this case, the main thing is accuracy and adherence to the rules of work.

Materials and tools

Materials and tools required for work:

• film;
• sponge;
• utility knife with a wide blade;
• spray;
• water and detergent;
• plastic spatula;
• a sharp knife for cutting material;

Preparatory stage

Let's prepare the work surface:

Important! Before work, you should clean the glass as thoroughly as possible, since any speck can create a bubble.

Tinting process

We proceed directly to pasting:

1. Rinse the work surface with a spray bottle and go over it with a spatula. Rinse again.
   
2. Then, with moistened fingers, using a knife, separate the protective layer on the pattern.
   
3. Prying the edge with a knife, then moisten the film from the spray bottle and gently pull back the "protection". Be careful not to touch the adhesive side of the material.
   
4. After removing the unnecessary layer, generously moisten the work surface and glass surface.
5. Take the film by the edges and attach it to the glass, moisten.
   
6. Spread the material very neatly left and right, paying particular attention to the edges.
   
7. Check how the tinting looks from the outside. If there are no bubbles, dry everything with a hairdryer. The work is done.
   

1. Experts recommend using Johnsons Baby shampoo: this product provides the easiest film glide possible.
2. Try to cut the edging with one movement of your hand, without lifting the knife. This will give the most accurate result, without any torn edges.
3. Moisten the glass regularly - material and surface should be in close contact.
4. Higher quality and easier to work with is a film made in the United States. Chinese film is very thin and is very likely to be scratched or creased. The American material is denser, peels off easily and is easily tucked in along the edges. Moreover, it is more elastic.
5. For beginners, it is better to remove the eyelash before work to avoid creases.
6. Please note that a completely closed glass goes a little into the seal, so the glass from above must be lowered.
7. Smooth the film sideways, never up and down.
8. Make sure that all air and liquid is removed.
9. If the film has slipped a little, you can correct it by pulling it in the right direction while it is still wet.
10. Always leave a margin on the edges, do not overdo it so that wrinkles do not appear later.
11. When working with a spatula, you need to be extremely careful and not press it into the material, so as not to scratch it.

In more detail, the tinting process can be viewed in the following video: So, the process of tinting a car can be done at home, while saving on payment at a car dealership. This procedure is simple and requires only care, accuracy and accurate calculations. However, before traveling abroad in your car, you must carefully study the rules and laws adopted regarding tinting.

The question of how to tint car windows on your own comes up very often - especially, in, and we are not always talking about a darkening film, but also about an athermal film, which often passes "GOSTs". The good news is that the theoretical part of tinting car windows itself is very simple and consists of several steps. But in practice, not everyone can tint the glass on their own the first time, and if the side windows, due to their size, are easier to tint, then the front windshield and rear windows are much more difficult to tint, because they are wide in area and curved.

By the way, you can buy ready-made tinted glass from your car dealer or anywhere from unofficial representatives. But it should be borne in mind that this is quite expensive, and includes the work of replacing tinted glass. Moreover, if you change your mind and want to return completely transparent windows to the car, you will have to repeat the entire replacement procedure. It is much easier to tint existing windows. The ability to tint car windows is available in specialized stores in two forms - in the form of a transparent darkened film that is glued to the glass inside the window, or in the form of a spray in an aerosol can.

Film (A) and spray (B) for window tinting

Both tinting methods have pros and cons. Spray tinting is more expensive, but quicker to apply, and overall spray gives better results on windows that are curved. The disadvantage of spray, however, is that if you have not tinted the car in this way before, then the end result will be uneven tinted glass with lighter and darker areas, because you cannot apply the spray perfectly evenly on the glass. Spray tints are available in a variety of colors: gray, green, blue, gold and even a mirror effect.

Film tinting is much easier for beginners to stick on in their first experience of tinting a car, but in general there are more steps for pasting, and you will also have to spend more time on it. In addition, in the case of film tinting, there are more opportunities for subsequent defects, rejects or the consequences of incorrectly performed work (peeling off the film, its cloudiness, fading, the appearance of bubbles, simply a change in plasticity, etc.). But it is much easier to remove the film tinting later than applied with a spray.

Legal restrictions

Always remember that in our country there are large legal restrictions on the tinting of all glass - both front and rear, in cars.

First and foremost, mirror tinting is prohibited on any glass (front or rear).

Secondly, the windshield and front side windows must provide general light transmittance in 70% of light (traffic rules, clause 7.3 "Basic provisions for the admission of the vehicle" + Technical Regulations of the Customs Union, clause 4.3). The word "general" is specially emphasized - the fact is that if you buy a tint film with a darkening of 30% or even 20%, then, most likely, your glass as a result will still not pass the check with a special device that is measured by traffic police inspectors - with In the factory, almost all glass already has a light transmission significantly less than 100% - often from 85 to 95%. The same applies to the athermal film - we have a special article on why the athermal film does not pass the light transmission test.

Thirdly, it is allowed to glue a tinting strip with any light transmittance on the windshield of cars from above. The main limitation here is that the tint strip should be less than 14 cm wide.

Fourthly, the rear windows can also be tinted with any light transmittance, but here there is a condition - the presence of external side rear-view mirrors on both sides of the car.

How to tint car windows with film - step by step instructions

First of all, we note that in order to get a good result of toning with film, you must work in a warm, dry place away from direct sunlight. The room should be free of dust and the possibility of settling any even the smallest particles on the film. Therefore, even in a garage with a concrete floor, you should moisten it (the floor) with water so that dust does not rise. Clothes with hands should also be clean.

What you need:

• Directly the film itself, purchased in advance in the store in the required quantity.
• Rubber spatula.
• A spray bottle or plastic bottle with a volume of at least a liter with a spray bottle.
• Stationery knife or blade.
• Air dryer (preferably construction).
• Something foaming from household chemicals (shampoo, liquid soap).
• Roll of duct tape.
• Rags (you need to pick up rags that in no case leave behind a pile and thread).
• Transparent, high-quality, non-yellowing nail polish.

So, how to tint the car windows yourself, let's start the steps!

1. Ideally, you will have to dismantle the car windows. But this is not always necessary - remove the seals (you may have to remove the door trim for this) from the glass.

The tinted film is applied to the inside of the window.

2. Clean the glasses themselves from any dirt and dust.

Wet the window with a solution of detergent and water in a spray bottle. To wipe off excess water and dry the glass completely, use a dry cloth (ideally chamois leather).

3. Measure 7 times, cut 1 time! Measure each window, then lay out the tint film and cut the correct pieces to the shape of each window. Cut off the film with a margin - at least 2-3 cm wider than the window, and 3-4 cm below the window. Also keep in mind that only one side of the film sticks to the glass, so make sure you cut the correct shapes for each side of the windows.

You may also find it easier to cut the film by simply placing it on the glass - in this case, also do not confuse the sides of the film.

4. Thoroughly and abundantly moisten the adhesive side of the film and the window itself with the same solution that you washed the glass with and a spray bottle.

5. Now the most crucial moment is to glue the film to the glass. Remove the protective backing from the cut-to-size piece of film, but not completely, but from the upper half of the piece that covers the adhesive side of the tint film. Open the window slightly (lowering the glass by 3-4 cm). Glue the film on the glass with the adhesive side to the glass, starting from the top (the bottom of the film is still with a protective coating) - grab the edges of the film, size it against the glass and stick it on. Then, going down, remove the protective coating and glue the bottom of the film - you should have a little more margin at the bottom than at the top. Make sure the film covers the entire window area.

Then, with a spatula, begin to expel the previously applied solution from the space between the glass and the film so that it does not remain there at all, and no blisters are visible. Be extremely careful - if the spatula is too rough and stiff, you can use a wad of dry cloth instead.

Then dry the glass completely with a hair dryer.

5. Trim the excess film at the edges by gently pulling at the edges. Cut the film so that it remains just a little less to the edge of the glass - about 0.5 mm around the edges. Use a ruler on the straight edges of the glass to make the cut straight.

6. Cover the edges with varnish. Thoroughly but thinly apply nail polish to the edges of the film to seal the edge of the film. Let the varnish dry completely before lifting (closing) the window. Replace the seals and do not open the windows for at least 24 hours so that the tinting is fully adhered.

How to tint car windows with spray?

As we noted above, in theory it is much easier to tint the windows of the car yourself with a spray, but only in theory.

Start by cleaning and washing all glass panes, in which case there should also be no dirt, grease or dust. In addition, toning must be carried out in a draft-free room.

Protect areas of bodywork, upholstery, and plastics near windows from splashing spray by covering them with a large newspaper and duct tape. Fall asleep in the dashboard and tools too.

Pull the window down slightly so that you can cover the top edge of the glass. Then, when the top edge is dry, lift the window back up to cover the bottom edge of the glass.

Shake the tinting spray can thoroughly so that the color is uniform.

Bring the can to the glass at a distance of about 15 cm (check the instructions for the spray) and, first starting to move it, press the button to start applying the aerosol to the glass. Be extremely careful and precise - the paint should lay down evenly - without thickening areas and, conversely, gaps.

Do not use window regulators until the spray has completely dried, and during this time it is advisable not to remove the newspaper and tape from the glass.